Until I wrap myself inside your arms I cannot rest
by bowtiesandcoffees
Summary: Ruby and Graham share a strong bond, they don't know why. They feel like they already know each other. Through all kind of events, they'll find way their way back to each other.
1. Chapter 1

The grey wolf was walking through the thickets, the wind blowing his coat. Right behind, the huntsman followed, his thick fur coat tightened to his chest, his leather boots creaking the dead leaves. The woods were his home, he knew every corner, every tree. So he didn't mind staying in the forest in the middle of the night. He felt good there, far from the town commotion, the hubbub of the people, the unpleasant smell of chimneys, and the artificial lights there. Here he was surrounded by smells of wet grass and wild flowers, and of course the smell of the animals living here. Animals were his friends, he hunted them of course, but only to live on. He was in agony every time he has to kill one.

The natural light the full moon gave pleased him, moreover, it was enough, to see and go on through the woods. It was cold, he could feel the wind coming through his skin and freeze his bones, but he had to go on, he was expected at the queen's castle.

He moved forward when he heard a moan and saw his faithful companion running toward him. He leaned forward to see what had frightened the animal so much. A growl filled the air when he saw it. A big, massive wolf, brown bristling pelt, yellow eyes full of wrath, fangs showing, ready to leap on his prey. The huntsman held out his arm and moved as the beast kept growling. His heart starting beating fast, but he wasn't afraid, he knew what he was doing. His hand was now only a few inches from the beast's head, as she slowly calmed down. Her growling became slower and slower. He stepped forward her a little bit more. The forest had now regained his peacefulness, only can be heard the breathing of the beast. The huntsman wanted to put his hand on her head, but as soon as his fingers brushed against her pelt, the animal moaned and fled away running, disappearing in the cold, dark air of the woods.

* * *

The sheriff tightened his leather jacket around him. There was an icy wind so he rushed his way to Granny's dinner and walked in. As soon as he opened the door, everyone turned to him. As the sheriff of the little town, he always caught attention. Besides, most of women thought he was attractive. He had a reputation following him, when actually he didn't care about all that. He didn't make any effort to look good, he never had any affairs. Yet he wished to found love, he thought it was impossible but he dreamt of it. The other customers kept staring at him as he walked towards the counter. He crossed eyes with Ruby and a light up her face. Little Ruby. So young yet so mature. She, too, had a reputation. She was a seducer. Everyone saw her like that. But he knew she was more than that. They barely even talked, but he had the impression to know about her more than anyone else. So powerful yet so fragile. In his mind, he remembered that night, when he had stumbled across her behind the dinner, sitting on the steps, crying, alone and harmless.

" What will you take sheriff ? " the voice of the young girl brought him back to reality. Her voice was sweet as honey, yet racy as spice.

" Just a coffee "

This was their exchanges. Always. He wished he could have talk to her longer. He wished he could have listened to her. He wanted to tell her that he knew how sad she was, that he knew this make up and those provocative clothes were a disguise to mask her vulnerability. He wanted to help her but he didn't know how. He felt the need to protect her. After all he was the sheriff, it was his job to protect people.

" Hi Graham ! You're ready to go ? "

" Hello Emma. Let's go do that patrol ! "

Graham grabbed the coffee Ruby handed to him and gave her a quick thank you. The sun was going down now as he and Emma walked past the door, laughing as they usually did. As he closed the door, he crossed Ruby's eyes again, through the glass. Only this time she didn't smile at all.


	2. Chapter 2

The young girl has awakened a few hours ago, the sun was now spreading rays of light all over the room. She got up and went in front of her mirror. She wore auburn short that shown her legs, and a white, loose tank top. Her face was bare. No red blood lipstick, no heavy eye-liner, no foundation. Her lips were very pale, almost deadly, her eyes circled by rings, and her skin was a bit itchy. This was her, bare and true. She was there, and this was what she never shown in front of others.

She heard Granny calling her. She had to go work. She went into her bathroom, got dressed up with a skinny bright red jeans and a shirt she tied so that it shown her belly. She brushed her hair and put her make up. She was ready to go down.

"You're late again, I called you several times, why didn't you came?"

"I was sleeping Granny"

"Well if you hadn't come home so late maybe you could've come earlier"

"I didn't go out last night, but I just couldn't sleep"

It was true, she had the worst night. Full of nightmares, but she didn't tell Granny. She couldn't. She would think she was crazy.

_She was in a forest. A dark and hollow forest. The wind was blowing, the sound of it only covered by the wolves howling. She was running. Her view was blurred by blood. She had blood on her hands, on her face, in her eyes. Suddenly claws were tearing skin and flesh. The trees were high, her bare foot on the leaves on the ground. She saw her reflection in the water. Yellow eyes glowing. _

She had this dream several times. She didn't know what it meant. Every time she was surrounded by wolves. And she was one too. She was killing. She awakened every time sweating and breathing heavily at the pinnacle of the dream, when her claws enter the fresh skin and the flesh.

She didn't know what it meant. She never killed anybody. She had sins, but she was no killer.

Granny handed her apron sharply.

"Stop dreaming Ruby and put yourself at work! We have a dinner to run."

"Yes Granny."

She tightened her apron around her waist, sighing, and headed to a table were a couple was waiting.

It began to darken outside now. Ruby was exhausted and the only thing she wanted was to take a long, warm shower. She needed to relax. The whole day all she could think about was that dream. That _nightmare_. It was filling her head, she couldn't think about anything else. It was slowly taking over her life. Maybe she could talk to Archie, maybe he could help her understand what it meant and this way, get rid of it. Or maybe she could use some sleeping pills to help her have a good night. Yes. That was the solution. She couldn't tell anyone about her dream, not even Archie. She didn't _want_ to talk about it, and she was determined to fix this on her own. The dinner was empty, and Granny already left. She thought she could close earlier than usual, nobody would mind. She finished cleaning the tables then took off her apron. She went to the back of the dinner to tidy up a little. She was ready to close and leave when the door opened suddenly.

"Hello?"

Damn, she thought. She would have decided to leave a minute earlier it would have worked perfectly fine.

"I'm coming" she said.

She re-entered the dinner room to see Graham, in front of the door, waiting patiently.

"Hi Ruby."

"Hello, Sheriff."

"I already told you can call me Graham" he said with a gentle smile.

The young girl blushed a little. She wasn't used of guys being nice with her; usually they were flirty and pushy. Graham wasn't like that.

It would lie to say that she never thought about him in a seductive way. But no, she wiped that thought out of her mind. He was the sheriff of the town, he was respectable man. And she.., well she was nobody. She was just a waitress, wearing sexy clothes, and having freaky nightmares.

"So you are already closing?"

"Um yeah, yeah I need to go to the pharmacy."

"Do you want me to drive you? It's kinda cold outside, and it's dark so... "

"You don't have to."

"Well I'm the sheriff, it's my job to keep the people of this town safe."

Ruby felt bitter, of course he was proposing this to be polite, he would have done it with anyone. For a second she had thought something else.

"But really, I would love to do it, and not just because I'm the sheriff."

Ruby looked down, and smiled a little.

"Okay."

"Let's go."

"You look very tired, are you okay?"

"I don't sleep really well lately. I'm having weird dreams."

"Well, you know what they say. That dreams are memories from another life."

"I hope not" said ruby quietly.

"What was that dream about?"

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Oh yeah sorry, I didn't meant to be pushy or anything."

"No no it's fine, it's just that um, I'd rather keep that for myself for now."

"Okay sure."

The rest of the drive was quiet. Ruby could hear the man's breath. She'd never been this close to him, in such a small space. It was actually very nice. The car was warm. She felt safe in there.

Finally they arrived at the pharmacy. Ruby went quickly inside and bought a box of sleeping pills. She went back in the car in a rush.

"Is it okay, you have what you needed?"

"Yeah it's okay."

"Perfect. I'm driving you home?"

"Please, sheriff " she said with a playful smile.

He smiled back at her, a genuine, amused smile. They didn't talk much on the drive back home. But it was perfect just as it was. It was a nice, peaceful, shared silence. Not one of these awkward silences when you're with someone but you rather be anywhere else. In this moment, there was not a place in the world Ruby would have liked to be. And she didn't know how, but she knew the man next to her was thinking the same. She just knew it. Lost in her thoughts once again, she jumped when Graham broke the silence.

"Here you go."

"Um? Yeah, yeah thank you."

"Anytime. I mean it"

"Bye Graham."

"Bye Ruby. Have a good night. "

She left the warm zone that was the inside of the car to enter the cold freezing outside. She closed the door and looked at him, he waved and smiled at her through the glass before pulling away. As Ruby looked the car go, she thought that she wouldn't need the pills that night, she would sleep well not matter what, because in this moment, she felt safer than she's ever been.


End file.
